Speak to Shobob gro-Rugdush, who (unless you are playing an Orc) will mention that the followers don't like 'beautiful people' and suggests that maybe you can convince him you're not so beautiful on the inside. With a little more disposition (50) he'll tell you that they don't like non-Orcs and that you should approach the shrine at your own risk. If you are playing as an Orc, Malacath's worshippers will be more welcoming and no disposition boosts are needed. In either case, you will need Troll Fat to activate Malacath's shrine.Once you have the troll fat, activate the shrine.

If you are an Orc, Malacath will say:

Nice present! Good! And from a nice Orc, too! Double good! Orcs are smart. They know, you want something, you do what the Boss tells you. So listen good... Lord Drad took my ogres. Poxy white-skin says he owns them. Lying maggot! They're MY ogres! So this Lord Drad, he puts my little brothers in chains, working in the mines, and it makes me mad. So. You get over to Lord Drad's estate. Get my ogres loose, and get them out. Do it now, for me... the Boss.

If not, he will instead say:

You brought a present. Good. That's smart. You want something? Then, if you're smart, you do what I tell you. Lord Drad took my ogres. Says he owns them. Lying maggot! They're MY ogres! Lord Drad put my little brothers in chains, working in the mines. I don't like that. Get over to Lord Drad's estate. Let my ogres loose, and get them out! Okay? Get going!

Drad's Estate is just southeast of the Shrine and is now marked on your map. Speak to Drad about his Ogre Slaves. You can either go with or against slavery in the dialogue. If you admire his efforts, he'll tell you the Ogres are in Bleak Mine. If you go against slavery, speak to Lady Drad to learn this information. You may need to raise her disposition to 70 to get this information from her. Exact locations to Bleak Mine are not given, but it is east of the estate. The key for unlocking Bleak Mine can be found on a nightstand left of the entrance door.

The mine is protected by a leveled lock. You can pick it, use an Open spell, or use the key found in the Estate. Once in the mine, your objective is to find the ogres and release them from their cells. There are two groups of ogres, both in locked cells. Every guard has a set of keys that opens the cells (if you're choosing the non-violent approach, you can pickpocket one of the guards if your sneak skill is good enough), or you can open them yourself. Once freed, the ogres will help you kill any guards they encounter. If you have kept your weapon sheathed so far, the guards will attack the ogres but not you. You'll receive a quest message once you have freed all ogres (opened both cells).

While the freed ogres won't hurt you, it is possible for them to attack your horse on sight. In particular, this is likely if you are riding Prior Maborel's Paint Horse, Shadowmere, or a stolen horse (all of which are members of the Prey faction). If so, you may want to leave your horse at the shrine and head to the farm on foot.

If you kill any ogres before returning to Malacath, you will fail the quest and forego your chance to receive Volendrung. This will also prevent you from ever being able to start Hermaeus Mora's quest (see below in Bugs.)

If you choose to kill the ogres after the quest and then speak to Lady Drad, she will be distressed and say that you "killed the poor beasts and that you've ruined her and her husband".

If you've failed Malacath's quest and thus been disqualified from ever getting Hermaeus Mora's, all hope is not lost. See Mephala quest bugs for a workaround.

If you do not kill all of the guards during this quest, they will follow you everywhere until either of you are dead. You may not see them, even for many days, but they will still be after you. If you are arrested at any time after this quest, you will find the surviving Bleak Mine guards waiting for you when you exit the prison. They will not be hostile unless you draw a weapon, at which point they will attack you, prompting a fight with other nearby NPCs.

While in the mine, or even after completing the quest if they have not been killed, the guards may randomly denounce you as a thief, but will take no action against you unless you attack them. This happens even if you have 100% Chameleon

One of Malacath's worshippers has told me that, in order to have the Daedra summoned, I must leave an offering of Troll Fat at the statue. [You must be level 10 to begin this quest.]

20

When I left the offering, Malacath was summoned and spoke to me. He tasked me with traveling to the estate of Lord Drad and freeing his ogre slaves.

30

I have spoken with Lord Drad. He believes the ogres to be suitable slaves, as they are mindless beasts, and is pleased with the ogres he uses in Bleak Mine. I appears I will have to free the ogres myself, if I am to complete Malacath's task for me.

31

I have spoken with Lord Drad. He believes the ogres to be suitable slaves, as it does not violate Imperial Law. I fear I've angered him, though, and he will no longer speak with me. Perhaps his wife will be more forthcoming.

34

Lady Drad has told me that the ogres are located in Bleak Mine, not far from here. I will have to go free them to appease Malacath.

35

I have entered Bleak Mine. Now I must free Malacath's ogres.

36

I freed one group of ogres. I must check to see if there are more to be freed. (if stage 37 has not been done)

37

I freed one group of ogres. I must check to see if there are more to be freed. (if stage 36 has not been done)

50

I have freed all the ogres in the Bleak Mine. I should return to the Shrine of Malacath.

100

Finishes quest

Malacath was satisfied with my efforts to free the ogres. He has rewarded me with Volendrung.

200

Finishes quest

Malacath wanted his ogres freed... not killed. Now there's no chance of earning the reward he promised.

Notes

Not all Journal Entries may appear in your journal; which entries appear and which entries do not depends on the manner in which the quest is done.

Stages are not always in order of progress. This is usually the case with quests that have multiple possible outcomes or quests where certain tasks may be done in random order.

If an entry is marked as "Finishes Quest" it means the quest disappears from the Active Quest list, but you may still receive new entries for that quest.

It is possible to use the console to advance through the quest by entering setstage DAMalacath stage, where stage is the number of the stage you wish to complete. It is not possible to un-complete (i.e. go back) quest stages. See SetStage for more information.